So Much For Vacation
by Astheal
Summary: "You know what? Nevermind!" Rogue shouted, surging out of her seat. "I'll go with Wolverine!" Somewhat introspective headcanon set mid-season 2. When asked about where to go for survival training, Rogue realized later that perhaps her impulsive decision could have garnered more thought, but it was too late to turn back now.


Welp, here's another one. This'll probably be a bit longer than my previous Evo fanfic, though I'm not sure by how much. This is another of my mid-series family Rogue/Logan fics, although I don't have a specific time in mind. I know it takes place sometime in season 2, but since that's the season where the passage of time as a whole starts to get a bit unclear, I'll leave it up to the reader to decide exactly when this happens.

Also, I am in desperate need of a beta, so if anyone out there is interested or knows someone who might be, send me a shout!

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><p>Xavier's Institute for the Gifted was very often a sanctuary for mutants, who otherwise would not have the means nor the opportunity to safely express themselves to their heart's content. It was a place of learning, where one could control their mutant powers amongst friends who understood and related to troubles that they might not be able to talk about anywhere else. It was, as its creator had dreamed, a place of safety. It was a place of family. It was a place of peace.<p>

There were other times, though, that the Institute was nothing but a goddamn madhouse.

Jubilee and Bobby had gotten up early for some reason, probably to sneak some ice cream from the freezer when the Professor wouldn't notice, and Bobby had thought it would be funny to sneak up on Jubilee and slip some ice down the back of her shirt. The result had been an explosion, a fire, a whole lot of screaming and the entire mansion being woken up at _four in the goddamn morning!_ After _that_ wake-up call, Rogue, like most of the other mutants not already present, had gone downstairs to see what was happening. She had been greeted with a shouting match between Bobby and Jubilee along with the gag-worthy smell of burning beans, which they soon managed to spread onto at least five others before Rogue decided to leave the scene to find _somewhere_ where she could go back to sleep. As it turned out, there wasn't a place in the entire mansion that could block out the raised voices, and it put the southern mutant in such a state of discomfort that even some of the psyches in her head decided to take up an argument of their own on whether or not to stay put or leap down the stairs and thrash everyone in sight. Add that to the fact that her skull felt like it was being split by an axe, and it was a truly terrifying Rogue that stormed into her room, slammed the door and locked it. And she had a feeling that the day was only going to go downhill from there.

As it turned out, she was right.

At breakfast, the Professor pulled Scott aside to talk. Whatever had been discussed, Scott told Jean on the way to school, unaware that Evan was eavesdropping, and by the end of the day all of the senior X-Men had heard the result of that morning's stunt. Scott and Jean tried their best to make it sound appealing, but Evan, Kitty and Kurt would have none of it.

"It's weak, man!" Evan exclaimed the instant they grouped up after school. "Totally weak! I mean, I understand making the new kids do that training, but we've already done it! Why the heck should be have to do it again?"

Scott sighed. "Look, it's the same thing as last time. The Professor thinks that Camp Ironback would be a good idea for the new kids, and after what happened this morning, I don't blame him. But you remember how hard that place was. The Professor thinks that it would be a good idea for them to have people around who've done it before."

"Not _again! _Come on, man!"

Rogue groaned and massaged her temples. It didn't really do anything for her headache, but she could pretend it did. Did that kid ever stop complaining? It wasn't even like it had been all that bad. Except for the fact that Evan had been constantly moaning _then_, too. Christ, it was like he had to find something wrong with _everything_ he didn't want to do. And it was something Rogue did _not_ want to deal with right now.

The boy in question wasn't done with his tirade. "Look, if the Professor wants someone to go with them so bad, he can go himself, 'cause _I_ ain't going."

Jean stepped in, voice stretched thin in exasperation. "Evan, it's not even that bad. It's not like––"

"That's, like, easy for you to say!"

Hell, Kitty was getting involved now?

"_Ja_, I seem to remember you being ze only vone of us zat actually enjoyed _Mount Humiliation!"_

Oh, for crying out loud!

Scott threw up his hands. "Look, it wasn't my decision! The Professor says we need to go back to Ironback, and if you have a problem with it––Rogue, where are you going?"

"To get some aspirin!" she snapped. "Talk t'me when you've quit barkin' at each other and made up yer goddamn minds!"

"Thank you!" Jean said, pointing. "See? She's fine with it!"

And just like that, the argument restarted. Rogue, however, refused to be drawn into it, and she had slipped back into the churning mass of students before she could be called on again. If it meant she didn't have to deal with them, she'd gladly walk home. Within moments, she had been swallowed by the crowd of adolescents desperate to be anywhere else but school.

"Rogue! Wait up!"

Rogue turned sharply, half expecting to see Scott or Kitty coming after her, but was instead surprised by familiar purple and black hair coming towards her. Her spirits began to rise.

"Hey, Risty."

"Sorry I missed you!" the British girl chirped breathlessly, falling into stride beside her. "Mister Haley had me caught up in class."

Rogue shrugged. "Don't worry 'bout it. S'fine."

"Cool. Hey, you okay?"

"Hmm?"

"You look a little… I dunno… ill."

"Yeah, s'nothing," Rogue mumbled. "Just a headache. Things are really getting annoying at the Institute."

"Oh. Do you want to talk about it?"

Rogue snorted. "Ain't a whole lot to talk about. Everyone's makin' a big deal out of somethin' stupid."

"Out of what?"

"Oh, just somethin' last semester. The Professor had us go to this survival camp, and he wants us t'go again and everyone thinks it's the end'a the world."

"Really? Well, what was the camp like?"

"Not as bad as they're all makin' it sound, that's fer sure."

"Well––" Risty slipped her arm through Rogue's. "––maybe they just aren't as tough as you are, miss I-hate-everyone Rogue."

Rogue rolled her eyes and cracked a smile. A compliment wrapped in an insult was hardly what one would call supportive, but she couldn't help it––Risty could always make her feel better, no matter what mood she was in.

"Yeah, whatever," Rogue said warmly. "Don't mean they have to be so butthurt about it."

"Hey, I have an idea! I mean, you're not with them, so you're walking, right? Home? Please say you are."

"Guess so."

"Brilliant! I just got wind of this little cafe down by the docks that just opened up a few weeks ago and I have been _dying_ to take a look at it. Wanna come check it out with me?"

"What's it like?"

"We don't know yet, silly. That's why it's an adventure!"

"... Oh heck, why not? Ain't like I've got anywhere else to be."

"Yes!" Risty almost skipped for joy. "I haven't heard a lot about it but I really think you'll like it."

Risty turned out to be right, as usual. At first glance, _The Cat's Corner_ didn't look like much. The building had been a house once upon a time, but the encroachment of commercialism had long since scared off the residents. Most of the houses had been bulldozed to make way for a little collection of stores, but this one had been left alone for some reason. In retaliation against the two-story building's stubbornness, the shops had been built in a line that completely hid the place from view of the street. Add that to the fact that the entire array was on the very edge of Bayville, and Rogue would have never found it by herself in a million years.

The paint had once been a clean white, but beneath the weather and the inevitable passage of time it had begun to crack. Ivy climbed up the walls, thick and green as if it belonged there just as much as the bricks and boards. Inside was even better; it seemed to be a combination cafe and oddity shop, with books lining the walls and filled to the brim with the smell of incense. Not those crappy scented candles that Jean liked to put everywhere, but real incense.

The counter in the back was covered in painted murals of colorful nothings, and the tables and chairs were all mismatched. There were only five patrons alongside a sleepy-looking barista who perked up when the two girls approached to order something.

The food itself wasn't that bad, either, and by the time Rogue was halfway through a cheese danish her headache had receded so much that she could almost forget it was there.

"Feeling better?" Risty asked.

"Yeah, lots. Thanks."

"No problem. Would you _look_ at those books in the corner? I have a feeling I'd buy up this whole place if I had the money."

"Yeah, it's nice. Wonder why I haven't heard of it before."

"Well, it isn't exactly old. And I suppose once you've found it you wouldn't really want to tell anyone else about it. It seems like the kind of place that could go downhill with too many people."

"Guess I could see that."

Risty scooted her chair closer and leaned into Rogue's space, though not too close as to be in danger of an accidental touch. "Does that mean we're going to keep it a secret?" she asked with an exaggerated smile.

The Southern goth couldn't help a bit of halfhearted annoyance as a grin spread across her face. Risty got to see the part of her she really preferred to pretend didn't exist, but if there was one thing Risty knew how to do, it was keep a secret––Rogue trusted her with her secrets.

"We'll keep it a secret," Rogue promised.

"Great! So, tell me––"

A phone decided to ring at that exact moment, cutting Risty off and making both of the girls jump. After a moment, they turned to examine their pockets and track down the offender.

"Not me," Risty said.

"Yeah, sorry. Me." Rogue pulled her phone out and flipped it open. "Shoulda put it on vibrate. Hey, this is Rogue."

"Hello, Rogue."

"Professor? What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing serious. But I would like you to return as soon as possible; there is something I wish to discuss with all of the senior team members."

Oh God, he didn't want to discuss––

"The question of Camp Ironback, yes. I'd like everyone to be present when a decision is made. Would, say… fifteen minutes be enough for you to return?"

"... Yeah. Fine."

"Thank you, Rogue. I will speak to you then."

He hung up, and Rogue heaved a sigh as she flipped her phone closed. Risty caught the irritation on her face and frowned.

"Does that mean you have to go home?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"Everything alright?"

"It's fine. Just that big argument everyone's havin'. The Prof wants me there, too."

"I'm sorry. Do you want me to walk back with you?"

"Nah, I'll catch a bus," Rogue said with a shake of her head, standing. "Thanks, though."

"No problem. And Rogue?"

Rogue paused, already a step away.

"Don't chew 'em up too bad, hmm?"

Rogue laughed and gave Risty an earnest smile. "No promises."

Rogue pretty much knew that she was in for another achingly infuriating session of repetition and anger, and so she enjoyed the fifteen minutes of solitude as much as she could as she made her way home. Not that it made much of a difference when she got there; the moment Rogue stepped into the War Room she was hit by a solid wall of shouts and growls and insults that beat at her eardrums until it was like her headache had never left. Spyke and Storm seemed to be the most heated, with Kurt and Kitty watching intently from one side and Jean and Scott watching from the other. Though the Professor was in the center of the group, he seemed to be having difficulty getting a word in. Logan, who was at the Professor's shoulder, had apparently decided that the argument wasn't even worth trying to participate.

"We don't need to do it again!" Evan said, throwing his hands up dramatically. "We've already done it! We know the drill!"

"This isn't _about_ you, Evan!" Ororo rebuked. "This is about the new recruits! _They_ haven't been to the camp before, and they need someone to show them through it."

"Why? _We_ didn't!"

_Jesus Christ, shut up_. Rogue bit back a groan as she sank into a chair, rubbing her temples and holding back everything she _wanted_ to say to the little Porcupine. This argument was more painful than the goddamned camp!

"And we even had to deal with the Brotherhood!"

_Suck it up, Spyke,_ Rogue didn't say.

_Enough!_ The Professor's mental shout left her skull pounding, although he sensed it and quickly gave her a quieter, _My apologies, Rogue._

_S'fine,_ she replied, even though it wasn't.

"Training comes in many shapes and sizes," the Professor said sternly. "You have learned many things from Ironback already, yes, but there is always more." Evan tried to open his mouth to reply, but the Professor cut him off. "Responsibility and leadership are just as important as any other aspect of your training, and let us not forget that you did not finish the full session there before you were interrupted. If you think that Ironback is too far below your skill level, then I will give you the same choice I did last time. For those of you that want something more advanced, Logan will be happy to provide it."

Logan crossed his arms and gave a pointed look to everyone in the room.

"But Professor," Kitty said. "This is a punishment for what happened this morning. None of us had anything to do with that. Isn't it, like, a bit unfair to punish us, too?"

_Oh God, just shut up already,_ Rogue thought, not caring if either of the telepaths heard her. If the Professor did, he didn't react, but Rogue caught the appreciative sidelong glance Jean sent her way.

"I have already explained this to all of you several times."

_Then what the hell did you need me for?_ Rogue wondered loudly.

The Professor ignored her. "Any more arguing is pointless. Jean, will you go to Ironback or with Wolverine?"

"Ironback."

Seriously? Did Miss Perfect just agree with _everything_ the Professor said? Jean looked at the rest of them like she'd just backed them into a corner. Kurt, Kitty and Evan glared right back.

"Scott?"

"Ironback."

"Please, Profesor," Kitty said. "This isn't––"

The Professor held up a hand. "Rogue?" he asked. "What is your choice?"

_Me?_ The Professor seriously wanted _her _to be a part of this argument?

"I don't care!" Rogue shouted a bit louder than she should've.

Jean nodded. "You see?"

Suddenly, Rogue became massively, inexplicably pissed. Jean was seriously going to turn her words into an argument? Did she think that Rogue was taking _her_ side, or was she just using her impartiality to argue her own point?

"You know what? Nevermind!" Rogue shouted, surging out of her seat. "I'll go with Wolverine!"


End file.
